Machiavelli, Volume I eBook

government; for notwithstanding that there be some
considerations to be had of them, yet presently are
those armies dissolved, because none of these Princes
do use to maintaine any armies together, which are
annex’d and inveterated with the governments
of the provinces, as were the armies of the Romane
Empire. And therefore if then it was necessary
rather to content the soldiers than the people, it
was because the soldiers were more powerfull than
the people: now is it more necessary for all Princes,
(except the Turk and the Souldan) to satisfie their
people than their soldiers, because the people are
more mighty than they; wherein I except the Turk,
he alwayes maintaining about his person 12000 foot,
and 15000 horse, upon which depends the safety and
strength of his Kingdome; and it is necessary that
laying aside all other regard of his people, he maintaine
these his friends. The Souldans Kingdome is like
hereunto, which being wholy in the souldiers power,
he must also without respect of his people keep them
his friends. And you are to consider, that this
State of the Souldans differs much from all the other
Principalities: For it is very like the Papacy,
which cannot be termd an hereditary Principality:
nor a new Principality: for the sons of the deceasd
Prince are not heires and Lords thereof, but he that
is chosen receives that dignity from those who have
the authority in them. And this order being of
antiquity, cannot be termd a new Principality, because
therein are none of those difficulties that are in
new ones: for though the Prince be new, yet are
the orders of that state ancient, and ordaind to receive
him, as if he were their hereditary Prince. But
let us returne to our matter; whosoever shall consider
our discourse before, shall perceive that either hatred,
or contempt have caus’d the ruine of the afore-named
Emperors; and shall know also, from it came that part
of them proceeding one way, and part a contrary; yet
in any of them the one had a happy success, and the
others unhappy: for it was of no availe, but rather
hurtful for Pertinax and Alexander, because they were
new Princes, to desire to imitate Marcus, who by inheritance
came to the Principality: and in like manner
it was a wrong to Caracalla, Commodus, and Maximus,
to imitate Severus, because none of them were endued
with so great valor as to follow his steps therein.
Wherefore a new Prince in his Principality cannot
well imitate Marcus his actions; nor yet is it necessary
to follow those of Severus: but he ought make
choyce of those parts in Severus which are necessary
for the founding of a State; and to take from Marcus
those that are fit and glorious to preserve a State
which is already established and setled.

CHAP. XX

Whether the Citadels and many other things which Princes
often make use of, are profitable or dammageable.